Automobile door latch mechanism



@et 9, E956 Filed Dec. llI 1952 AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM G. W. GARNlss 2,766,058

2 Sheets-Shee l @et 9, w56 G. w. GARNISS AUTOMOBILE DooR LATCH MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. ll.- 1952 2,766,058 AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM George W. Garniss, Bloomfield, N. J. Application December 11, 1952, Serial No. 325,374 8 Claims. (Cl. 292-254) This invention relates to a latch mechanism for swinging doors, particularly for doors of automobiles or other vehicle bodies.

Latch mechanisms, as at present commonly used, employ a plurality of parts including rotatable bolts, detent, shiftable release members, springs and the like. Present day latches, considering the comparative simplicity of function they perform, are complicated and expensive to manufacture, to repair and replace.

I have devised a mechanism that locks by simple sliding of a part without rotation, and that offers additional assembly is simple in construction, designed to be manufactured, repaired or replaced at relatively low cost, and less subject to wear in use. Also, it is strong, dependable, safe and easy to operate.

An object of the invention is to provide a practical mechanism that when installed in an automobile door, will allow the driver, while sitting inside the car, to set the latch to lock the door automatically when the door is closed. In other words, the lock will not become unset when the door is closed in the normal manner. The invention also facilitates the handling of packages and the like by making possible free exit from the car with no attention required to locking when the driver is outside the car.

Another important object of the invention a key-controlled safety means for the dren while riding in the car.

A further object of the invention is to controlled latch that makes it impossible lock his keys in the car. operate the latch.

Another object of the that is to provide protection of chilprovide a keyfor a driver to The ignition key is used to quick protection to timid women drivers who fear a sudden intruder.

A further object of my invention is to provide a latch controlled by of operation is desired.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had -Figure 4 is a sectional view showing the-spring pressed rates `Patent O 756,5 Patented Oct. 9, 1955 latches locked in the recesses of the striker block, the safety latch resting on the top of the striker block.

Figure 5 is a sectional view showing the lock assembly in the outside handle, and its relationship to the master cam and the chassis and front release bar.

Figure 6 is a sectional View similar to Figure 2 showing the spring pressed latches urged out of the recesses of the striker block by the fork disengaging means.

Figure 7 is a sectional View taken on line 7 7 of Fig. l and shows the key controlled safety and latch locking stop.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is ofbeing carried out in various ways. Also, that the phraseology, or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings:

The novel latch control mechanism is shown mounted in position on a chassis 5. The chassis 5 is constructed hand, the thumb being left free to contact the release horizontal lands of said tines, as shown in Fig. 6. At this time the latch mechanism and the latch control mechanism are disengaged so that the door may be opened. In the initial door opening movement the latch elements 2 are completely removed out of the recesses 38 by the action of the lips of said recesses 38.

In the normal manner of o ening the door from the in- -details of this lock contained in my Patent from the latch control mechanism so that the door may be opened. When pressure of the thumb against the release handle 25 is removed, the front release bar 4 is pulled back to its first position by the spring-3. When pressure of the thumb against the release handle is removed the rear release bar 24 is pulled back to its iirst position by the spring 40.

With the exception ot the door by the driver seat, the normal manner of locking the doors at any time while inside the car is as follows. rl`his operation is performed by the inside release handle 43. The release handle 43 is rotated clockwise. The third stop 35 is then pressed against the contact pin 33 on the rear release bar24. The release bar 24 then moves in the reverse direction of the latch pressing the release pin 32 against thet third arm 9 of the'rst stop. The lirst stop 28 is then moved-into engagement with the stop pin 31. The rear release bar 24 remains in this set position when pressure on the release handle 43 is removed. The spring element 40 takes over only when the release bar 24 is pressed in the direction of the latch.

The novel manner of locking the car door yfromthe inside with the ignition key Z9 to avoid lockingkeys inside the car will now be. described. A second stop 14is rotated to engage the stop pin 15, see Fig. 7, by rotating the ignition key 2.9. When the stop pin 15 on the rear release bar 24 is urgedin the reverse direction ofthe latch,- the release pin 32 ismoved into engagement with the third arm 9 of the tirst stop 28 moving the lirst stop 28v into. engagement with the stop pin 31. Whenever the latch control mechanism is set to operate in this novel manner, the door must lirst be opened free of the safety latch 16. Thus this operation makes possible the locking of the door from the inside before the driver leaves his seat. It is to be noted that the first stop 28 is pivotally carried on a pin lixed to the chassis so that when the first stop 28 engages the pin 31, the bar 4, and consequently the forked disengaging means 19, cannot be moved toward the latches 2 so that the handle 2S and the cam 22 become inelective under these conditions and are locked against rotation.

The latch control mechanism includes a simplified safety stop 14 operated by the ignition key when the key 29 is inserted into the keyway of the stop 14 and turned clockwise to the horizontal position, The stop 14 blocks `the forward movement of the rear release bar 24 by contacting the safety stop pin 4S. Blocking the rear release bar 24 in this manner nullies the function of the inside release handle 43. A child cannot release the Ylatch 2 from the striker block 3 when the stop 14 is set on safety. While the stop 1,4 is set against stop pin 48 the front. -release bar 4 canfbe moved by the outside releasehandle 25 to release the latch 2 lfrom the recess 38 in the striker block 3.

To lock the door with the cylinder lock 47 (structural 2,525,344 issued October l0, 1950), the key 29 is insertedinto-the keyway of the lock 47 mounted in the outside handle 13. The lock cam 21 is then turned counterclockwiseto` contact the rst arm of stop 28 and press said stop into eugagement with stop pin 31. When stop 28 is invengagement with pin 31,`the front release bar 4 is blocked against forward movement in the direction of the latch. To unblock the front release bar 4, the look cam 21 is turned clockwise to contact stop 2S and press it out `of engagement with the stop pin 31. The locking andunlocking-of the door can be done withoiitremoving the key. The key 29 must however be turned to the neutral position before the release khandle 25 can operate, or the key removed from the lock. When stop 2S is disengaged from the pin 31, it remains in the neutral or disengaged positionuntil further engagement by the lock cam 21 or the release pin 32 operated by the release handle 43, or by the second stop 14 operated by the ignition key 29. When the second stop 14 is pushed out of contact with the stop -pin on the rear release bar 24 it remains ina neutral or Vbers to be aligned kjacent the bottom end .disengaged position until. .stared atQ erntet@- ,Ratiletl again by the ignition key 29.

What l claim is:

1. A latch mechanism comprising a keeper member and a striker member, said members mounted for relative movement into and out of latching position, said keeper member including an axially movable spring pressed latch having a normally outwardly extending portion, said striker Vmember including a recess .aligned in .latching position of said members witlrsaid latch and adapted to receive said portion to lock said members against relative movement, and means entering said recess through the wall thereof in a direction substantially transverse 'to the path of movement of said latch adapted to move across said recess to displace said portion out of said recess to thereby unlock said members for relative movement.

2. A latch mechanism comprising a keeper member and a-striker member, said members rnountedfor relative movement into and out of latching position, said keeper member including an elongated bore and a spring pressed latchtherein having a portion thereof normally extending outwardly of said bore, said striker member including a second bore adapted'in the latchingposition of said members to be aligned with -said first-bore and to receive said extending portion to lock said members against relative movement, and means entering said second bore through the wall thereof in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of said second bore adapted to move acrossfsaid secondbore to displace said extending portion out of said second bore to thereby unlock said members for relative movement.

3. A Ilatch mechanism comprising a keeper member and a striker member, said members mounted for relative movement into and out of latching position, said keeper member including an elongated bore and a spring pressed ylatch therein having a portion thereof normally extending outwardly o said'bore, said striker member including a second bore adapted in the latching position of said inemwith said iirst bore and to receive said extending portion to lock said members against relative movement, said second bore having a port in its wall. ad-

thereof, and means entering said second bore through said port and movable across said y.second bore, said entering means including a tapered end adaptedto engage said outwardly extending portion to displace said latch from saidfsecond bore as -said entering meansmoves acrossv said second bore.

` 4. A latch mechanism as defined inclaim 3, inv which said .outwardly yextending-portion terminates in a hernispherical end and said tapered end is of curved contour, `said secondv bore,saidr hemispherical end andV said `entering meansr being .so proportioned that when said entering means has displaced-said latch to the limit of its ability Vsaid -hemispherical end lat least partly extends. above-said strikermember to .permit -relative motion between said members therebyinV 'the initial stages of said motionrsaid lhemispherical end engages the lip offsaid second bore and -is'ultimately -completely displaced from said second bore lthereby.

5. A latch mechanism comprising -a keeper .member anda -strikerniembeg s aid members vmounted Ifor `rela- -tive movement Iinto and out vot" latching position, said keeper member including a Y y modate said -striker member in latching position 4of-said members, sa-idkeeper member having a pair of aligned bores therein opening intosaid channel, an axially movchannel yadapted i to Aaccomable spring pressed latch-iii each of -said bores, each of said latches including a portion normally extending outwardly ofthe respective bore, e'ach of said extending porltions terminating in a. hemispherical end, said striker -member:including a pair of aligned bores Vopeningin-said channel in iatching position of said-members, saidfstriker -bores adaptedto -align withsa-idkeeper bores to--receive said extendingportions -of said latches in latching posi- A-tionv-of lsaidelements,ports-in said` striker member opening into said striker bores inwardly of the channel ends thereof, la forked member entering said ports and including tapered ends, and means for moving said forked member -to carry said .tapered ends across said striker bores to displace said extending portions out of said striker bores in latching position of said members.

6. A latch mechanism .comprising -a keeper member and a striker member, said members mounted for relative movement into and out of -lat-ching position a-nd in said latching position having juxtaposed surfaces, a bore in said striker member opening at its respective one of said surfaces, a pair of bores in said keeper member opening at the respective one of said surfaces and adapted to align sequentially with said strik-er bore as said members relatively move -into latching position, a spring pressed tending outwardly from its respective one of said surfaces, said portions Iadapted to sequentially enter said striker bore during said relative movement of said members, `said striker member having a slanted groove formed therein connecting its across said striker bore for displacing from said striker bore the second of said portions to enter i-t.

7. A latch .control mechanism comprising ,a latch disengaging member mounted for movement into and out of latch disengaging position, `actuating means for said latch disengaging member, a s-top having three .arms each angularly disposed relative to the others, means pivotally mounting said stop, the rst of said arms adapted in one position to engage said disengaging member to hold said d-isengaging member against movement toward latch disengaging position and in another position to permit said movement, a stop release bar, means for slidably mounting said bar for movement towards and away from said stop, an element on said .bar positioned to contact the second arm of said stop to rotate said stop on its mounting to lcarry said rst arm from said one position to said another position when said bar is moved towards said stop, said element contacting the third .arm `of said stop to rotate said stop on its mounting to ycarry said iirst arm from said another position to said first position when said bar is moved away `from said stop.

8. A latch control mechanism comprising a latch disengaging member mounted for movement into Iand out of latch idisengaging position, actuating means for said latch disengaging member, a stop having three arms each .angularly disposed -relative to the others, means pivotally mounting said stop, the :first of said anms adapted in one position to engage said disengaging member to hold lsaid disengaging member against movement toward latch disengaging position and in another position to permit said yaway from said stop to rotate stop yon its mounting to carry said iirst .arm from said lanother position to said tirst position, and means operable by said actuating means in its :actuation of the latch disengaging member into latch disengaging position adapted to move said ii-rst arm into said another position.

References Cited inthe tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

